How West Ryde Childcare Providers Deal With Fussy Eaters

 Mealtime can be the most frustrating time for you if you have a poorly eating child.  In our West Ryde childcare centre, we experience this a lot too. Basically, your child is trying to exercise some control in their life, and feeding is one of the areas they use often. 

However, always keep in mind that good nutrition is so imperative in a child’s growth and development. That is why you still have to make sure they eat. 

Different children have varied eating needs. On some days your child may eat everything. On other days, they will want nothing at all. But this should not worry. 

We have gathered a few tips from our caregivers and educators on how you can deal with your child if he/she is a fussy eater. We share them below.

Make Mealtime Fun

If your child associates meals with anxiety, then be sure that it will be more stressful for you. Caregivers in our West Ryde childcare facility completely understand this. That is why we make mealtimes enjoyable and calm. 

Our caregivers do not shout at your child as they feed. This way your child understands that mealtime can also be as good as playtime. 

We also keep our mealtimes as short as possible such that it does not seem like a chore. If your child is not done by the end of mealtime, we will offer the food at another time. Caregivers in our facility do not force your child to eat if they do not want to. Instead, they encourage them gently. 

We minimize distractions during meal times as well. Television, toys and electronic gadgets are kept away. To cheer them up, we promise your child that there will be play afterwards to motivate them to finish up.

Participation

Though there is a limit on how much your child is allowed to participate in meal preparation, we still encourage that you do as often as possible. There are many ways to go about it. 

The first fun way, as done in our West Ryde childcare facility, is through pretend play. We use the kitchen-like toys during pretend play so that your child feels like they are doing it too. These toys are child friendly and do not cause injuries. 

We also encourage children to participate in coming up with meal plans at our childcare centre. This helps them understand the processes through which food gets to our tables, giving them a different perspective.  

Once in a while, we encourage them to clean fruits and prepare them before eating. When your child participates, they feel part of the process and will enjoy the meal.

Offer Different Choices

As mentioned earlier, your child is only trying to get some control of things around them. Offering various food choices will make your child feel in control. This way he or she will be more cooperative. 

Limiting their options makes them feel hardpressed. This may cultivate their rebellion towards any food you serve. That is why at our West Ryde childcare centre, we offer a variety of foods for your child to choose from. It can be the same food but cut to different sizes and shapes, served in interesting colours. This way your child also learns about shapes. 

Our caregivers even congratulate them when they manage to name new shapes as they eat, making it fun. To minimize wastage, we offer food in small portions, especially non-preferred foods. 

Maintain Routine

Children work well when there is consistency. Your child most likely eats every two to three hours, be it food or snacks. This ensures that they are not famished and irritable at mealtimes. That is why we maintain a consistent time for serving all meals at our West Ryde childcare facility. 

This also includes sitting arrangement during meals. Initially, we allow your child to choose where they are comfortable sitting. This can then be their usual sitting place during meals. 

Our caregivers also notify your child a few minutes to mealtime. This is to prepare them to transition from playing to eating.

Role Models

Children learn by simulation, almost always copying from adults around them. One of the things your child may copy is bad eating habits. That is why caregivers at our West Ryde childcare centre sit with your child during meal times. 

In addition, they also enjoy their meals together with your child. This way, your child observes and learns good eating habits.

Once in a while, we allow the supervised intake of treats like ice cream and candy. Banning them may cause your child to overindulge in them later. By doing so, we teach your child to take them sparingly. 

All food allergies are also taken to consideration during treat times. This works to show your child that not all meal times are hard. 

Patience

It can be frustrating to keep repeating the same words, telling your child to bite or swallow their food. Caregivers in our West Ryde childcare centre have learnt to manage what they expect your child to eat. That is why we do not force food on your child. Instead, we offer variety and other options. 

Furthermore, they stay calm while addressing your child during meal times. We do not rush them as they might associate food with scolding.

This patience is also exhibited when introducing new foods. Children like to touch, feel and taste any new food. At times, your child might spit out the new food. Our caregivers remain calm and patient as they introduce new foods. We also talk about the new food to answer any questions your child has. 

Also, we encourage your child to take sips of water in between feeds to promote swallowing.

Differentiate Between A Fussy Eater And Behavioral Issues

As much as most children can be fussy eaters, poor feeding can be a sign of behavioural problems. It is good to know the difference. 

Educators in our West Ryde childcare are able to identify the two. Your child could be throwing tantrums and screaming for a different reason other than food. When we detect such, we engage you as a parent to discuss a way forward. 

Mistaking behaviour issues for picky eating will only lead to more anxiety for both your child and our caregiver. 

As experienced West Ryde childcare providers, we know and fully understand the struggle of bringing up a fussy eater. That is why we decided to share these tips too. For the best results, use them at home too.